Running
by voyagemaiden
Summary: One-shot. How one boy's love could ruin the fate of all. Mild slash.


Running

Summary: One-shot. How one boy's love could ruin the fate of all. Mild slash.

Warnings: Angst, slash, character death.

A/N: Just a challenge fic I modeled after a poem.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter in any way.

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It was an hour before dawn when I finally stopped to catch my breath. My heart pounded loudly in my ears as I thought about what had transpired a mere two hours ago. Everything had come crumbling down around me. Everything was lost.

It had all started the night Tom called to me in a dream. You see, he had changed that night. The repulsive tyrant had transformed into a charming, handsome young man. He whispered sweet promises in my ear; seduced me into dreaming up the perfect world - a world in which I would rule by his side.

Bastard.

We started meeting in secret. I was weary at first, but as we planned for the good of all, I found myself falling for him. It wasn't so difficult, now that I look back at it.

I laugh out loud at my own foolishness, my harsh breathing echoing loudly against the silent bark of the trees. Tears clung to my eyelashes as I walked on into the cold, dark night.

Oh what a fool I had been.

For a whole, blissful year we had schemed together and made love with each other in secret. But the truth had to come out eventually. It always does.

The day of the final battle, the invasion of Hogwarts, was that day the ruined my life forever. And that day was today.

Last evening, I had to choose my side. To stand on the side of the Light, my friends, forever ignorant of the balances of nature. Or to stand beside the one I loved, master of the Dark, and one with the power to save the world.

I had chosen love, and apparently I had chosen wrong.

On the battlefield, I had stood in black, hidden behind a mask. I had listened to the Light question the location of their Savior. They stalled for time, waiting for Harry Potter to make a grand entrance, but he never came.

And then during the fight, everything had fallen apart. My mask, the only thing concealing my appearance, had been blasted off by a stray spell. I have to admit, I've never heard an uproar quite like the one today.

The fighting had stopped as everyone turned to stare, for my identity had been kept quiet from the Death Eaters as well. Only Tom knew of my betrayal to the Light.

I closed my eyes, coming to a stop on the outskirts of the forest. The night breeze graced my face and I imagined Tom's gentle hands caressing through my hair. I could hear his voice in my mind, whispering soothing words of comfort to me in the dead of night. I could feel a ghost of a tongue, trailing down the length of my jaw.

I shivered, but not from the cold.

Walking on in a daze, I came to a halt by the shores of a lake. The ebony water drew my gaze. In it, I saw my own reflection, insignificant compared to the thousands of stars shining above.

"_Tom, you did it. We won."_

My breath hitched as memories of earlier last night found their way into my mind.

"_Indeed we did," Tom had said with his charming smile. "Is it not glorious to see the almighty Order and invincible Aurors kneeling before their new master? Is it not a sight to behold to see them mourning their dead?"_

"_Tom, you promised you wouldn't make this any harder –" I started, but stopped when a wicked gleam entered his eyes. "Tom?" I questioned uncertainly, afraid. _

"_If you'll excuse me, Potter, it's time to teach these wizards some new manners."_

"_Tom, what? No, that's not what we planned. There's going to be no more killing. No more torture. And it's going to be us, together. Just like we had planned…"_

_He gave me a long, inscrutable look before brushing past me as if I meant nothing to him. As if I were nothing but a flea, waiting to be cast off by some stray dog._

"_Tom!" I called out desperately, wincing from the sharp pain in my side. I pulled my hand away and glanced down at blood-coated fingers. During the fight, I had gotten injured quite badly. Healing the wound seemed so important to me at the time, but now, now I wouldn't mind if I bled to death, right here, right now. My soul felt like it was shattering with every step Tom took away from me. _

_He never even looked back. _

I had watched him for a time as he paced in front of my broken friends. He spoke about the new world that would rise from the ashes; he whispered sweet promises in their ear. All the while they glared at him hatefully.

They had glared at me even more.

I had seen Tom Riddle change in front of my eyes. The ever charming man had taken a step back, allowing Lord Voldemort to come forth once more. The Dark Lord, the cruelest man the world had ever known, had nothing to stop him now. No one would stand up to him; no one would say that he was wrong.

When I walked away from his domineering form, he hadn't cared. Voldemort had known my decision to leave him forever, for Dark Lords knew everything, but not once did he pause in his speech. Not once had he glanced my way.

They often say that love is a person's undoing, for love both binds and blinds. I have fallen prey to that ancient power. And even now, I can't find the strength in myself to move on. Even in this darkest hour, I can't envision a world without my Tom.

Looking back toward the trees, I imagine that he's standing there, a playful smirk on his lips. I can see him reaching out, waiting for me to come home. But he'll never come. I knew I was alone in my thoughts, alone in my life, alone in my mind.

Taking out my wand, I turn it on myself. I whisper the fatal words and watch the green light surround my form. Darkness closes around me as I drop to the ground, embracing the peace of eternal rest with nothing but a last, desperate cry on my lips.

"_Tom."_

The word carries on unheard into the night.

As the sun rises over the horizon, the Wizarding World will awake to a changed world. From the ashes of the dead, a new leader will try to piece together all that is broken, all that has been lost.

Never once will anyone think about a green-eyed boy who once lived and loved. And over time, not one will remember his name.


End file.
